Supporting the arts in Clare County

The Clare County Arts Council has been busy. They just completed a successful annual fundraiser teaming with Big Brothers/Big Sisters for the third year. More than $5,000 was raised in a silent and live auction held at the Doherty Hotel in March. These monies go towards supporting the arts in Clare County by sponsoring exhibitions, demonstrations, producing theatrical and musical performances and advancing arts education by offering classes for youth and adults.

CCAC supports Art Reach of Mid-Michigan with a donation for their second annual Art Walk Central. Big Brothers/Big Sisters provide children facing adversity with one-to-one relationships that change their lives for the better, forever. This could include art projects, bowling, skiing, going to sporting events, baking, shopping, fishing, etc.

CCAC proudly works hand in hand with other community organizations. They just completed a fundraiser to restore the Pioneer Mother Statue, which continues to stand in front of the Clare Middle School since 1938. Many of Clare’s students had no idea they were called the Pioneers because of this statue. The statue will be sealed when the weather is warmer. A plaque is being made with the history of the statue.

CCAC is supporting both monetarily and with representation on the steering committee for the Clare Railroad Depot Restoration project. The plan is for the depot to be moved closer to downtown Clare where it will become the Trailhead for the Pere Marquette Rail trail, which runs east to west from Midland to Evart, eventually to Ludington.

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The Depot will become the home base for the Clare County Arts Council, showing art on the main floor along with railroad memorabilia, the Clare Chamber of Commerce, the Visitors Bureau and classrooms in the basement. The Depot will become an active railroad passenger depot.

Take Pride in Clare Day is April 23. CCAC members will again work with the Clare Public Schools. Teams of students, teachers and volunteers will be cleaning up the town.

The Artist of the Month program continues. Kim Ott-Gray is showing at the Chemical Bank in Clare on McEwan St. through April.

In May, the Artist of the Month is Jeanette Stewart showing at Her Place on the southwest corner of 5th Street and McEwan.

CCAC recently welcomed new board member Vicky Gunden. The seven-member board is made up of Carol Santini, President; Jane Sartor-Key, Vice-President; Paule Clark, Treasurer; and board members Linda Guiliani, Lesley Smoltz, Marcy Klaus and Vicky Gunden. Membership is open to anyone. Dues are $10 a year. You do not have to be an artist to join, as one member said when joining “I’m not an artist but would love to be a ‘grunt.’”

Meetings are held the second Tuesday of each month. The next meeting is May 14 at 6:30 p.m. at Guys and Dolls Studio, 8064 S. Clare Ave., Clare. Onita Oles will present information on Quilts on Barns. This is a possible new project for CCAC.

The program each month lasts about an hour and covers such subjects as painting, quilting, poetry, photography, music, and sculpting. We love it all. Bring your ideas and join us on May 14. All meetings are free and open to the public.